Month: January 2015

January 20, 2015

4 Boat Problems That Can Ruin Your Day

There are few luxuries in life more enjoyable than owning a boat. The open air, the lapping waves, the sense of freedom when pushing across the bay or ocean, these things are experiences people work hard to enjoy.

And no wonder, because there aren’t many things more fun to do than experience some relaxing time on a boat, or engage in water sports, fishing and other activities.

But as any boat owner will tell you, when a problem arises, it doesn’t tend to be small. When there is an issue with your boat, chances are it will be big. And big problems can cost you. From a cracked hulling to a leaking fuel tank, here are five boat problems that will absolutely ruin your day.

1) Electrical System Failure

The big headache with an electrical system failure isn’t simply that it may render your boat inoperable, it’s that they can be so difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to repair. Finding the source of an electrical system failure can be a real bear because wiring can run beneath decks, through tight chases and closed compartments, and more. That means finding where the faulty wiring is can be a major chore. Repairing the problem can be difficult, too, because electrical work is not something an amateur should tackle. It not only takes some specialized knowledge, it can be downright dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.

2) Cracked Or Broken Hull

Caused over the long term by wear and corrosion, or in the short term by collisions or running aground, minor hull problems are relatively easy and inexpensive to patch up, but major hull breaches can end up costing into the five figure range. Worse still, if they happen due to a collision or running aground, they can result in something no boat owner wants: a sunk boat. Talk about ruining your day!

3) Leaking Fuel Tank

A leaking marine fuel tank does more than cause you to waste some gas. It also puts you in a dangerous situation, because fuel in the bilge can cause fumes, and gas fumes are highly explosive. Yes, and in BOOM. Your boat can literally explode due to fume buildup. For yachts and sportfishing boats, fuel tank replacement can cost upwards of $50,000. Thankfully, some services do marine fuel tank repair for as little as $10-$15,000, so as long as this problem is caught early you can save yourself some cash – and maybe your lives.

4) Bilge Pump Failure

The bilge pumps are what helps keep certain types of boats from filling with water below the decks. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what happens when a boat’s bilge begins to fill with water.

January 12, 2015

Five Great Ways To Use The Space Gained From A House Elevation Project

The benefits of a house elevation project are well known and should be obvious to most homeowners along the coast – lower flood insurance premiums, better protection against floods, and better views – but one benefit people don’t often consider is the fact that in many cases, a lifting project is going to give you more usable space.

Think about it: if you lift your home eight feet higher, which is the height of a fairly typical lift project, you now have an eight-foot tall area (plus the height of whatever your crawl space used to be) beneath your living space.

In some cases, this effectively creates an entirely new first floor! Visit Structural Solutions of NJ for more information about NJ House Raising.

While most people won’t be lucky enough to be able to transform that area into genuine living space – that would be a bad idea, since it will be below flood levels – you CAN make good use of it after your NJ house raising project. Here are some ideas:

Create A Car Port – On some coastal properties, a raised home often sits above a car port, a kind of open garage that frees up driveway space, offers a little protection from the elements, and frankly, looks pretty cool. Some people enclose them with latticework, others leave them completely open, parking the car in a space between pilings.

Use All That Extensive Store Space – We all struggle with finding room to store all that stuff we accumulate over the years. Attics, sheds, closets – they fill up fast. Filling up something with the same footprint as your entire house, however, is something else altogether. If you have a concrete foundation, this can be as simple or complex as you like. A hanging light or two and you can store kayaks, canoes, summer furniture, bikes and more down there. If you want to go all out, install more lighting, get some shelving and such down there, and turn it into a “basement” of sorts.

Turn It Into A Workshop – Even better than using a garage (which many shore homes don’t have), after your New Jersey house lifting project, think about turning that space into a workshop. It doesn’t need to be fancy. As long as you have some outlets you can have a work bench down there, some tools, storage space, and plenty of room to tinker ‘till your heart’s content.

Create A Recreation Area – This is a great way to take advantage of your house raising in NJ project. If the space is tall enough after your lift, pick up a ping pong table at a yard sale, maybe some air hockey, and create a little rec area. Again, it doesn’t need to be fancy. A little outdoor carpeting, a college fridge for drinks, and you’ll have a for the kids to romp with their friends without worries about them ruining the house.

More Room For Rover – If you have a pet, they’ll appreciate having a cool place to retreat from the sun during those hot Jersey Shore summers. If you’re on pilings rather than a concrete pad, you can even train them to do their business down there, out of the way so you won’t step in it (or smell it). Just be sure there is proper ventilation! This idea is best suited for homes on pilings, with the new space enclosed with latticework.

And these ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. Put some thought into it and you’ll come up with something creative that will suit your lifestyle!

January 7, 2015

Home Buyers: How To Make The Most of An Open House

If you are in the market for a home at or near the New Jersey coast, chances are good that you will come across many open house events. An open house is when a seller and/or real estate agent literally opens the doors to a home and invites visitors – prospective buyers and the like – to come take a personal tour of the home. It’s an opportunity to see a house up close, ask questions, sometimes meet the neighbors, and more.

Many of those on the hunt for a new home, however, do not use open house events to their full advantage.

This article is here to help you avoid their mistakes. If you plan to attend open houses while searching for luxury waterfront properties in Rumson, Deal, and other Monmouth County communities, take heed of this advice:

Treat It As A Learning Experience

Remember, you’re not just there to get a look at the interior of a home you like. You’re there to learn about the market in which you’re now looking. This is your chance to get a feel for prices in the region, the mood of both the buying and selling public, how aggressively people are looking to sell, and more. It’s also an opportunity to learn about the communities in which you are looking. Remember that you’re not just buying a home, you’re buying into a community. Getting a feel for it is vital to ensuring you are happy after your purchase.

Watch The Other Guests

Even if you don’t feel in direct competition with them, even if you’re not gunning for this particular home, you can learn a lot about the market for Monmouth County luxury waterfront properties by observing the others there. Are they asking a lot of questions? Are they lingering for a long time? Are they vying for time with the realtor? If the answer is yes, this may be a desirable property. What sort of questions are they asking? Is there a lot of discussion about the local schools? Do the other guests look as if they have families or are they older and potentially retired? You can tell a lot about what sort of neighbors you might have by observing these details.

Ask Questions – Lots Of Them

An open house is no place for someone who suffers from shyness. You are there to learn, and potentially to spend a lot of money on a waterfront property in Sea Bright, Manalapan, or other Monmouth County real estate. The wise thing to do, then, is to ask questions. Ask about the neighborhood and its access to the amenities you most desire – restaurants, schools, shopping, the beach, access to the Garden State Parkway, and so on. Get to know what sort of people live in the neighborhood. Is it a conservative community with strict Sunday blue laws, or is it a community with a thriving night life? Do a lot of families live here? Commuting professionals? Retirees? The answers to these questions will play a vital part in ensuring you are happy and comfortable in your new neighborhood – so ask away!

The bottom line is to remember that an open house is more than a home tour. It’s an important tool in ensuring you are equipped to make the most educated purchase you can.